drewogatory:I'm a little confused as to all the hoopla surrounding this, or why they just didn't put the damn thing in Huntsville or D.C. where it belongs.

There are four shuttles, including enterprise. Discovery, the one with the most history, is in DC. Enterprise went to NYC. Atlantis is staying in at Kennedy Space Center. Endeavor is providing some geographic balance and going west to LA.

cptjeff:drewogatory: I'm a little confused as to all the hoopla surrounding this, or why they just didn't put the damn thing in Huntsville or D.C. where it belongs.

There are four shuttles, including enterprise. Discovery, the one with the most history, is in DC. Enterprise went to NYC. Atlantis is staying in at Kennedy Space Center. Endeavor is providing some geographic balance and going west to LA.

Ah. Well, that shows how much attention I've paid to the incredibly uninteresting shuttle program. I'm an AF brat and a pilot and while I appreciate the tech, I wouldn't cross the street to see one.

cptjeff:drewogatory: I'm a little confused as to all the hoopla surrounding this, or why they just didn't put the damn thing in Huntsville or D.C. where it belongs.

There are four shuttles, including enterprise. Discovery, the one with the most history, is in DC. Enterprise went to NYC. Atlantis is staying in at Kennedy Space Center. Endeavor is providing some geographic balance and going west to LA.

Why California indisputably deserves a shuttle: all of the shuttles were assembled and regularly overhauled an hour away from LA in Palmdale. Edwards AFB is where every shuttle landed the first time and for about 4 out of 10 missions thereafter when weather was bad at KSC. Vandenberg AFB was set up as a shuttle launch site (before the military cancelled its use of the shuttle after the Challenger disaster). Thousands of Californians were directly involved in the shuttle program.

Nem Wan:cptjeff: drewogatory: I'm a little confused as to all the hoopla surrounding this, or why they just didn't put the damn thing in Huntsville or D.C. where it belongs.

There are four shuttles, including enterprise. Discovery, the one with the most history, is in DC. Enterprise went to NYC. Atlantis is staying in at Kennedy Space Center. Endeavor is providing some geographic balance and going west to LA.

Why California indisputably deserves a shuttle: all of the shuttles were assembled and regularly overhauled an hour away from LA in Palmdale. Edwards AFB is where every shuttle landed the first time and for about 4 out of 10 missions thereafter when weather was bad at KSC. Vandenberg AFB was set up as a shuttle launch site (before the military cancelled its use of the shuttle after the Challenger disaster). Thousands of Californians were directly involved in the shuttle program.

I'm not arguing that California doesn't "deserve" a shuttle, I'm just wondering why anyone gives a damn, or why anyone would go out of their way to look at a decommissioned aircraft.

To reminisce of past glories, and hope for future ones? The same reason why the SR-71 and the Concorde are still draws at Air Museums. There are those who feel that our society is in decline, a notion that is quite understandable when all our fastest, highest flying and most graceful aircraft are considered relics.

This craft is a symbol of what we once were. What we once hoped to be.

To reminisce of past glories, and hope for future ones? The same reason why the SR-71 and the Concorde are still draws at Air Museums. There are those who feel that our society is in decline, a notion that is quite understandable when all our fastest, highest flying and most graceful aircraft are considered relics.

This craft is a symbol of what we once were. What we once hoped to be.

What, it seems, we may never be again.

Sad but true.

Theres no money in achievement. People wont line up around the block for the latest version of national pride. All thats important anymore is selling the next big thing, then beating the competition to get next weeks next big thing on the market.

Nem Wan:cptjeff: drewogatory: I'm a little confused as to all the hoopla surrounding this, or why they just didn't put the damn thing in Huntsville or D.C. where it belongs.

There are four shuttles, including enterprise. Discovery, the one with the most history, is in DC. Enterprise went to NYC. Atlantis is staying in at Kennedy Space Center. Endeavor is providing some geographic balance and going west to LA.

Why California indisputably deserves a shuttle: all of the shuttles were assembled and regularly overhauled an hour away from LA in Palmdale. Edwards AFB is where every shuttle landed the first time and for about 4 out of 10 missions thereafter when weather was bad at KSC. Vandenberg AFB was set up as a shuttle launch site (before the military cancelled its use of the shuttle after the Challenger disaster). Thousands of Californians were directly involved in the shuttle program.

Californians overhauled the shuttles and made the heat resistant tiles.

drewogatory:Nem Wan: cptjeff: drewogatory: I'm a little confused as to all the hoopla surrounding this, or why they just didn't put the damn thing in Huntsville or D.C. where it belongs.

There are four shuttles, including enterprise. Discovery, the one with the most history, is in DC. Enterprise went to NYC. Atlantis is staying in at Kennedy Space Center. Endeavor is providing some geographic balance and going west to LA.

Why California indisputably deserves a shuttle: all of the shuttles were assembled and regularly overhauled an hour away from LA in Palmdale. Edwards AFB is where every shuttle landed the first time and for about 4 out of 10 missions thereafter when weather was bad at KSC. Vandenberg AFB was set up as a shuttle launch site (before the military cancelled its use of the shuttle after the Challenger disaster). Thousands of Californians were directly involved in the shuttle program.

I'm not arguing that California doesn't "deserve" a shuttle, I'm just wondering why anyone gives a damn, or why anyone would go out of their way to look at a decommissioned aircraft.

I give a damn. I think spacecraft are as cool as shiat.

As far as why California "deserves" a shuttle: Remember that SoCal has a strong aerospace tradition. Many people who designed and built the shuttles are in these parts.

When we were at LAX watching Endeavour land a couple weeks ago, you could see hundreds of people watching the landing from the Boeing building located right next to the south runway. Perhaps some of them had a role conceiving and constructing Endeavour and the other shuttles.

drewogatory:I'm a little confused as to all the hoopla surrounding this, or why they just didn't put the damn thing in Huntsville or D.C. where it belongs.

"cause it's LA, Baby. If they wanted it to be seen as not a prop for commercials, they would have put it in Seattle as the only west coast Space Shuttle

/this follows the same thinking as putting the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor, where only rich WWII vets can visit their trophy.//and it shows that Obama is Republican after all.//Ironic, for more bait ;)